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Emotional Wellbeing in Our Children: What Should We Look For?

Emotional Wellbeing in Our Children: What Should We Look For?

by | Jul 31, 2020

One of our top priorities since the middle of March has been to carefully watch for the emotional wellbeing of our students, and their families once we began remote therapy sessions.  As children were approved by each school district to receive music therapy through a teleconferencing platform, according to their IEP, one of our first priorities was observing for any cues during the teleconferencing session that the student or family were experiencing social-emotional challenges due to the stay at home order.  Since then we have worked diligently to reach families who have been less responsive to explore if there is another level in which we can support them, even if teleconferencing is not an option.  This has included phone calls, emails and sending packets of digital and printed music opportunities for the parent to participate in with their child.  Music has offered the child and family a refreshing escape from some of the day to day challenges they have been experiencing.  Families have at times sought out continuing music therapy over other services for the summer because of the positive effect it has had.

Uncertainty for the Fall

As school district administrations watch for direction from the state governors for guidelines, they are surveying the families.  The intent is to determine what type of school attendance the parents are thinking is best for their children and family circumstances, however, in some cases the preferred choice is not available.  One of the most popular preferred choices that have not been an option on the surveys is reopening schools fully for all students and allowing families to decide if they would like to participate.  Instead, there appear to be hybrid models being proposed combining online learning and school attendance, to spread out the children during bussing and within the facility.  Regardless of what each school district decides they will be offering the students and their families; it has become clear that the anxiety over what the new school year will look like is rising. 

Parents are sharing the following concerns and questions:

  • Will my child be safe if attending school?
  • What are the potential health issues of my child wearing a mask all day in school?
  • My child is showing depression over not being able to go back to school. What should I do?
  • My children are not making progress using remote learning.
  • We have a child with special needs, and she is falling further and further behind. How will she ever catch up?
  • Are pandemic pods a safe way to go to help my child socialize and learn in a group?
  • I need to go back to work however cannot do so unless my children can go back to school fulltime.
  • My son has been experiencing increased anxiety when I am not around, something that we have never observed before.

Parents are wise to watch their children’s reactions to the changes they are experiencing.  Here are some of the symptoms that might be observed:

4 to 7-Year Old

In children ages 4 to 7 years, children tend to express stress through regression and separation anxiety.  They may begin bedwetting or cling to a parent when they attempt to leave the home.  This is where routine comes in. It does not need to be the same routine from Pre-Covid19, it simply needs to be realistic for the current situation. This age group also struggles with social distancing which makes getting together with other children more difficult.  

7-10-Year Old

In the 7 through 10 age group, children can pick up on stress and may become fearful for their own health.  At this age, they are not typically capable of expressing their own emotions.  The parent may see an increase in irritability or crying.  Limiting how much news and adult conversation is conducted about the pandemic around these children is important.  Instead, create opportunities for the child to talk with an adult and ask questions they have about what is going on as well as share how it is impacting their life, including their own health fears.

10-13-Year Old

In ages 10 to 13 years, children tend to struggle with academics. At this age, they work well with structure, which is why they need routine.  They generally have not developed self-regulation at this age which makes schooling with much less instruction and guidance especially challenging.  Parents should focus on the effort of the child and not necessarily the completed tasks.  Providing them with an organized space and helping them create a structure that works best for them is most helpful for children in this age bracket. 

14-17-Year Old

At ages 14 to 17, social distancing can have a devastating effect on them, resulting in an increase in depressive symptoms such as listlessness and lack of motivation.  This age group is heavily impacted by the loss of sporting games, social gatherings like proms, clubs, and other regular or annual events.  They can express their emotions and will do so when feeling safe and supported, so offer those natural times to open the door for honest conversation.  Seek out someone outside of the family if they are not willing to talk to a family member.  Assist your child in finding acceptable online social opportunities like yoga classes, gaming, and Zoom parties with their friends. 

Creating a New Normal

All children can benefit from learned breathing exercises, mindfulness, regular weekly social gatherings online or in a pod, and scheduled weekly family activities that the child enjoys. Creating a new normal for this time is important while watching your children for emotional wellbeing concerns.

If your child is experiencing a difficult time with the many changes COVID-19 has created feel free to scroll down and send us a message in the Contact Us portion.  We have many services including, counseling, creative arts therapy, and music therapy that might be helpful.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Book: Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea

Book: Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea

by | Jul 10, 2020

 

Blog post written by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC

Song performed and recorded by Jamie Swieringa, MT-BC

 

A sea turtle. A dolphin. A great white shark. These are just some of the creatures you may think of when picturing yourself swimming in the ocean. With this summer heat, everybody wants to be swimming, whether that be in a pool, a lake, the ocean, or even the bathtub! In Jan Peck’s storybook Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea, young children will encounter numerous sea creatures while journeying through the ocean with the main character who is on a quest for pirate treasure!

 

Jamie Swieringa, a fellow music therapist and employee at UMTC, wrote a very creative and catchy melody to sing while reading this book with your child. Feel free to sing along with the recording or create your own melody!

 

 

At UMTC, our therapists strive to develop creative ways to incorporate music into everyday activities. Using this book during storytime with younger children is a great way to entice them into learning through music! This wonderfully illustrated storybook is mostly geared towards younger children. While reading this book with your child, you can address a multitude of skills such as animal identification, color identification, opposites (big/little, up/down, etc.), and appropriate social greetings using “hello” and “goodbye” in song. Here are a few suggestions to follow when reading this book with your child:

 

Animal and Color Identification

Most young children may be familiar with the more commonly pictured sea creatures such as turtles, dolphins, fish, or sharks. This storybook, however, features some creatures that may be less familiar to a young child: a hermit crab, starfish, sea horse, and swordfish! Encourage your child to become more familiar with these sea creatures by describing them in detail! A hermit crab will grow out of its shell and explore his surroundings to find a new shell. A starfish can grow new legs if it is hurt. A male seahorse carries the baby seahorses instead of a female. A swordfish has a sword-like bill to use to swipe through schools of smaller fish when hunting. While identifying the creatures, you can also encourage your child to describe the colors he/she sees when looking at the different sea creatures.

 

Opposite Identification

The illustrator of this storybook, Valeria Petrone, created scenes in which the main character is larger than some of the animals. As the storybook progress, you will notice that the main character becomes smaller while the animals become larger in reference to what a human would look like next to a given animal. Ask your child to identify who is bigger and who is smaller as you read through the book. Don’t be afraid to challenge your child by asking him/her where in the ocean the animal is swimming: up towards the sky or down at the bottom of the sea. This will encourage your child to use his/her inference skills!

 

Appropriate Social Greetings

As you may notice while listening to Jamie’s song, there is a constant part that includes “hello” and “goodbye.” This is a great opportunity for younger children to practice singing “hello” and “goodbye.” You can also pair a hand motion (wave, fist bump, high five, etc.) when singing “hello” and “goodbye.” Don’t be afraid to take the greetings out of context when the song has become familiar and sing them to your child throughout the day: “Hello, mom! Goodbye, dad!”

 

We hope you enjoy using this book in your homeschooling adventures! For more resources and activities to use with your children, please visit our “Resources” tab located at the top of the page.

 

If you are interested in purchasing Way Down Deep in the Deep Blue Sea, click here.

 

Happy reading!

Let’s Go Outside and Hear Some Music!

Let’s Go Outside and Hear Some Music!

by | Jul 2, 2020

The lazy, hazy days of summer are officially upon us. This summer presents a few unique challenges for entertaining our children as many public places, camps, and activities remain closed due to the pandemic. After an entire spring of homeschooling and continued social distancing, it’s safe to say that we all need a little relaxation in our lives. Going outside and hearing the music of nature is a great way to find some peace of mind during these chaotic times.

Notice the sounds

The first step to finding music in nature is to simply hear the sounds. Go outside and listen. This is an ideal opportunity to be mindful. Take a minute to drown out the noise of your inner thoughts, and focus entirely on the sounds of the moment.

Do you hear wind in the trees? How about birds chirping? Maybe you hear some human-made sounds, like the hum of an air conditioner or cars. If you listen closely enough, the sounds of nature will prevail.

Notice the rhythms

A biophony is the collection of sounds that animals make in an environment. Biophonies are the result of not just one animal voice, but all animal voices in a single ecosystem. For example, the calls of birds and croaks of frogs. In the healthiest of ecosystems, all sounds and calls of animals can be heard amongst each other.

A biophony is a natural and authentic orchestra. In our modern world, it is tough to find a healthy ecosystem, and therefore biophony. As such, it is ultra-rewarding to notice those rhythms that stand out over our human-made sounds.

To make a successful biophony, animals make their calls, and sing their songs in different rhythms, so that all might be heard. In an ideal ecosystem, not one voice goes unheard. If the concept of a biophony interests you, check out this audio book by Bernie Krause called: The Great Animal Orchestra: Finding the Origins of Music in the World’s Wild Places.

Look around and play!

If you are a parent or caring for children this summer, turning nature into an instrument can be a great activity.

When you look around, do you see any objects of nature that could be used as instruments? Perhaps start with finding some sticks. Tap them on different places. Do they sound different when you tap them on rocks versus the bark of a tree?

 If you are near water or have a bucket you can fill, try grabbing a handful of pebbles and drop them in one-by-one. Plunk, plunk, plunk into the water.

If you live near a sidewalk, take some different materials and see what they sound like when you scratch them on that concrete. How do rocks sound different from sticks?

Need some more inspiration? Check out the music video below made entirely from sounds in nature! We hope you find some music and relaxation in the nature near your home!

 

Blog submitted by Katie Pistilli

Book: Over the Rainbow

Book: Over the Rainbow

by | Jun 5, 2020

This blog post was written by Kayla Davitt, MT-BC

 

Sunshine on my face. Rainbows in the sky. Smiles on the faces of friends and family. This is what I picture summer to be like. However, in these tumultuous times, I often find myself forgetting to smile or to take a moment to appreciate the simple things in life. But, all that changed when I picked up Over the Rainbow by Judy Collins.

 This book is full of beautiful illustrations (painted by Eric Puybaret) that are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face, young or old! Most of us have seen the classic movie “The Wizard of Oz” with Judy Garland. This book takes the famous song “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” and transforms it into a storybook that you won’t want to put down!

 At UMTC, we strive to encompass a child’s whole being through music. Now more than ever, it is imperative to focus on the mental health of our children. Staying at home can be quite challenging, especially when children are used to going to school every day. Reading Over the Rainbow with your child will encourage them to participate in a learning activity using music.

While reading this book or listening to the song and following along, your child will be able to practice a variety of skills such as answering questions and taking time to self-reflect. Here are a few suggestions to follow when reading this book with your child:

Self-reflection

Even though we are in the midst of uncertain times, it may be helpful to encourage your child to engage in some self-reflection. What are some troubles or difficulties they are having while staying home? How does it make them feel? What would their “happy place” look like? Though these questions are geared more towards older students, younger students will still benefit from taking time to identify how they are feeling and what makes them happy.

Answering questions

This book is full of abstract pictures: a woman walking across a rainbow, bouncing from moon to stars, and flying with birds in the sky. Don’t be afraid to ask your child questions that will challenge their thinking. Are people able to fly like birds in the sky? How? Can a person walk on the moon? What would they need? Questions like these will encourage your child to think outside of the box while practicing their problem-solving skills.

Share your memories – Make it personal!

Do not be afraid to share your memories of hearing this song when you were a child. Explain to your child how this song makes you feel. Maybe express your thoughts and feelings about having to stay at home during this pandemic. Show your child how to self-reflect and identify their feelings.

 

Feel free to sing this song while reading the book or listen to this version performed by the famous Ella Fitzgerald:

 

We hope you enjoy using this book in your homeschooling adventures! For more resources and activities to use with your children, please visit our “Resources” tab located at the top of the page.

If you are interested in purchasing Over the Rainbow, click here to find it on Amazon.

Happy reading!

 

A Whole New World: Music Teletherapy

A Whole New World: Music Teletherapy

by | May 29, 2020

Prior to COVID-19, the word “teletherapy” meant very little to our team of music therapists. To even consider not driving to school, homes, or daycares was not a thought in our minds. How could it be? Yet, in a matter of days teletherapy became a new reality. All the hours spent fine-tuning our craft for in-person services had to be adjusted overnight. Looking back now, it is amazing how much our team has learned in a few short months.

A New Approach

After school closures, it quickly became apparent that the social-emotional benefits of music were taking center stage. This is a confusing time we are all in. For many families, the presence of music therapy in their homes is a welcome break to the stress they are under. At UTMC, we truly want to embrace this facet of music and ensure we are continually bringing not only music but joy into homes. Below is a photo of Sarah Ramey, an employee at UMTC accomplishing this mission during a teletherapy session! 

Supporting the Whole Family

As our team adjusted to doing therapy through a computer screen, it became apparent that we were able to help families in a unique way. By bringing music into the home, we can provide our students with a dose of familiarity in a confusing situation.

It is no secret that music has a way of lifting spirits. Our staff noticed siblings, grandparents, and parents joining sessions with a smile on their faces. Many stated they were looking forward to music all day. This is the kind of positive energy we want to bring to our families.

New Intervention Strategies

Parents and teachers aren’t the only ones learning about new technologies! Our music therapy team has been knee-deep in picking up new online learning strategies. If you are interested in pursuing online services, you will experience some of these new strategies for yourself.

1) Zoom

For the most part, our therapists use Zoom as a video chatting platform with students. Zoom comes with some great interactive features such as screen and audio sharing. While using these, the therapist is able to provide visuals and quality audio with the student on the other end.

2) PowerPoint

Many of our therapists use PowerPoint slide shows to present students with books or choice boards. It’s difficult to use visuals in hand because they may be blurry or off-angle. Using a PowerPoint via screen sharing solves that problem and provides clear visuals. 

3) Share controls

Zoom also allows for the students to have control over the screen. With this feature, the therapist is able to ask questions, have students type answers on their own, or drag and drop images to complete visual activities.

4) Props

Now more than ever it is important for therapists to grab our student’s attention. It can be so difficult to stay seated for 30-minutes, especially in front of a computer screen! Our therapists do their best to engage students with props such as hats, stuffed animals, scarves, or other colorful visuals.

New Services at Upstate Music Therapy Center

Upstate Music Therapy Center believes that music services should be accessible despite school closures. In response to the COVID-19 Pandemic, we have adjusted by offering a variety of online music activities such as Music Enrichment, online Music Therapy, and FREE Online Music for Preschoolers (available on our Facebook page through the end of June). Additionally, online Counseling services are available. If you would like to learn more about these new online services, click here.

It is a shocking, confusing, and strange time we are all in. At UMTC, we hope that our services for students and the community can bring a ray of light into the homes and lives of families we work with. Don’t forget to find humor where you can in this whole new world we live in! 

 

This blog was submitted by Katie Hall.

Mindfulness for Kids: 5 Breathing Activities

Mindfulness for Kids: 5 Breathing Activities

by | May 15, 2020

Mindfulness has become more familiar in the western world over the last 40 years. It was mainly adopted by counselors working with individuals struggling with anxiety, compulsive disorders, and past trauma, training them to use this practice in and out of counseling.  Later, yoga classes and adults looking for ways to relax began incorporating mindfulness.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts, and bodily sensations without judgment.  As its popularity spreads, we are now witnessing mindfulness classes in the community for adults, and schools are adding it into their curriculum for our children. This is largely due to the noted increase of stress in the lives of Americans and the impact on individuals of every age.  Did you realize that April is Stress Awareness Month? Necessary, but also concerning!

There are some wonderful ways to help our children learn mindfulness practices while they are young, in hopes that they will carry these learned skills into their adulthood. There are many types of mindfulness activities, however this week we are focusing on breathing activities.  We inhale and exhale all day long and yet rarely pay attention to the quality or pace. As we become more aware and train ourselves and our children to focus on our breathing, we will be better equipped to use these techniques when becoming stressed.

1. Squeeze Breathing – Have the child squeeze a trusted adult in a hug, give a self-hug, or squeeze a soft object. While doing so, breathe in through the nose and out slowly through the mouth three times.  Getting the proper pace of breathing is important so initially, an adult should model slow breathing for the child.

2. Count Breathing– This style of slow breathing is helpful as the child can say a number prior to inhaling and exhaling, counting up to 5 or for as long as the breathing is helpful. Saying each number out loud helps the child stay focused.

3. Music Breathing – Exposing children to all styles of music is a wonderful gift. I find that piano music is especially calming. Listen to this example of Disney music properly paced for slow breathing. This audio is over three hours long, feel free to fast forward to add some variety to your mindfulness.

 

4. Visual Breathing – For children who respond positively to visual cues there are some great free videos online. I especially recommend those with a friendly character to help the child know when to inhale and when to exhale. You may want to try this video with an animated fish.

 

5. Alternate Nostril Breathing – Children respond positively to this type of breathing as they like the idea of plugging their nose. We have children use their pointer finger to hold one nostril closed and slowly breathe in and out one time through the open nostril.  Then release that nostril and use the other pointer finger to plug the other nostril and repeat the breathing. They can alternate for as many times as the breathing is helpful in a slow rhythmic pattern.

 

For information about our counseling services with mindfulness training for adults and children use our Contact Us link.